HER CHARIOT AWAITS
“HER CHARIOT AWAITS”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

9/10

Her Chariot Awaits are an American based hard rock band, featuring ex-Sirenia vocalist Ailyn and Adrenaline Mob guitarist Mike Orlando. The band is completed by Jeff Thal (drums) and Brian Gearty (bass), with their self titled debut album released in 2020.

Blending the musical traits of the two founding members, Her Chariot Awaits features both rock and metal influences – from the traditional styles to a more modern day slant, and everything in-between. With the calibre of Ailyn and Mike, you would expect nothing short of excellence – and that’s exactly what you get… But what you don’t get, is a Sirenia/Adrenaline Mob remix – this is new, this is different, this is Her Chariot Awaits… Eleven songs over forty five minutes begins in emphatic style with the heavy hitting ‘Misery’. Rocking hard and rolling harder, ‘Misery’ is a high intensity and bold opener, appealing to fans of both rock and metal, probably more metal… And the high intensity remains err, high, throughout the entire album – an album that moves swiftly on with the heavier hitting and symphonic metal tinged ‘Dead & Gone’. Reining in the pace, ‘Dead & Gone’ stays half a step away from a heavy metal gallop – until its second half when a mesmerising change of pace, coupled with a menacing vocal performance from Ailyn sees ‘Dead & Gone’ adopt a thrash metal intensity. With so much variation in just the opening two songs, it does make you wonder what the rest of the album will offer…

More of the same, and more of the different, is the simple answer, with ‘Screaming Misfire’ continuing the albums emphatic and bold musical stance. A more hard rock influence than the opening double, ‘Screaming Misfire’ has a catchy and sing a long able chorus. If you’re looking for a classic rock sounding album to tour the countryside listening to, this is not it – this is for driving fast and furiously around a race track! Even songs that have a title suggesting a ballad are high intensity rock numbers – ‘Stolen Heart’ a prime example. Much more rock than metal, ‘Stolen Heart’ keeps the energy levels high and the thumping rhythm is simply awesome. And for the first time, the intensity levels drop, to be replaced by a sinister and menacing vibe, as ‘Constant Craving’ adopts a moody foot stomp. Add a symphonic style vocal performance, and ‘Constant Craving’ shows just how far and wide Her Chariot Awaits push the rock and metal boundaries. Energy and tempo return in full flight as ‘Say No’ hits the ground running, very punchy, and hitting harder than a wrecking ball. Her Chariot Awaits have definitely come out of the heavy corner of the rock genre, exactly where rock meets metal. ‘Line Of Fire’ is bouncy and uplifting, hard hitting and pulsating, and one helluva infectious listen. Heads will nod hard and feet will stomp harder as ‘Line Of Fire’ bustles on by.

The more mid paced and menacing vibe makes a return with the thundering ‘Turning The Page’ – complete with additional male vocals… Not quite a duet, for the female vocals take the majority of the limelight, but what it does do, is give ‘Turning The Page’ a totally different feel to everything else on offer. Again showing Her Chariot Awaits are not afraid to experiment. And experiment the band continue to do so, with the faster pace of the power metaller ‘Take Me Higher’. The classic sound of European power metal rises high to the surface, as ‘Take Me Higher’ scorches on by. And once more, all intensity is dropped in favour of a mellow, power ballad – ‘Just Remember’ has a much more soulful vocal performance from Ailyn, and definitely a lighters high in the air atmosphere. The variation on offer here, is gonna appeal to fans of so many different genres. What an effort, what a debut, what a band… And to the final song, just where have the last forty odd minutes gone! ‘Forgive Me Dear’ is one last hurrah of hard hitting, explosive and intense rock and metal to get your heart racing and fists raised high in salute. A very impressive debut from a new (well almost new) band.

Overall, a thumping debut release, Her Chariot Awaits revels in battering you with rock/metal of the very hard hitting, and infectious kind.

TRACKLIST

Misery
Dead & Gone
Screaming Misfire
Stolen Heart
Constant Craving
Say No
Line Of Fire
Turning The Page
Take Me Higher
Just Remember
Forgive Me Dear

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